During the past few years I have increasingly heard the phrase "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear", stated by a number of (mostly white, male), politicians and/or essentially well-meaning so-called members of the "establishment elite".
Sadly, to be even remotely accurate in making this bold (and dare I say it morally and legally correct statement), one must add the proviso "assuming you are not of African-Caribbean descent, male and live and/or work in inner city London"!
On Monday 21 July 2008, I attended "The Symposium on the DNA Database" an extremely informative event hosted by Black Mental Health UK, at The House of Commons, which addressed a number of Issues pertaining to the effective criminalising of Black Mental Health patients who are being de facto added to the National DNA Database.
Prominent members of the panel Included; Matilda MacAttram (Director, Black Mental Health UK), Sarah Teather (MP, Liberal Democrat), Dr Helen Wallace (Director of Gene Watch), Bishop Wayne Malcolm (City Life Church), Olu Alake (Chair, 100 Black Men of London) and Melvyn Davis (Director, Male Development Services). Suffice to say much was said to enlighten those gathered about the dire consequences of the misuse of the law to appropriate the DNA of a vast number of (mostly) Black Males!
I'll discuss the event at a later date, since I've had to prepare for an interview on community radio (Blues UK), with the lovely DJ Prophetess, a very passionate campaigner on the behalf of causes working to educate and empower the African-Caribbean Community, whom I met at the "Symposium on the DNA Database" and accepted her kind invitation to discuss the matter further on Saturday 26 July 2008 on her show that is aired nationally and internationally on FM Radio and via the Internet!
However, on Wednesday 23 July 2008 (prior to my interview), yet again I had to witness what it transpired was another disgusting example of the way (some)Metropolitan Police Officers, routinely take the offensive against innocent Black Males!
In this particular incident a youth of 15 years of age, was approached by four officers (3 male, 1 female) and immediately handcuffed as he left Streatham Leisure Centre. Since the Police arriving in their car had to pass me to get to him, it was impossible fo me not to witness what was taking place.
Obviously, I took the most sensible course of action, as I had no knowledge of why they had handcuffed the youth and stood (watching and listening, from a distance of about six metres. Having heard the man protest to the officers repeatedly that "I wouldn't lie to you", after about fifteen minutes I then used the voice memo function on my mobile phone to record the desription of the officer he was handcuffed to, the registration number of the unmarked car the officers were using etc.
After about twenty minutes, the officers released the youth from the handcuffs and went towards Streatham Station, presumably to carry out more stop and search activity! Subsequently, after talking to the youth (and commending him on the way he conversed with the officers, almost certainly de-escalating an obviously tense situation), he explained to me that when handcuffed he was told "you might be under arrest" and (most shockingly, if you are not a Black Male, living and/or working in Inner City London), told by an officer "If I see you in the area again you'll be arrested"!
This happened, even though the officers knew after their investigations that the youth in question worked in the Leisure Centre and lives in the Streatham area. So, after advising him to contact his parents and attend the relevant Police Station, with his colleague who witnessed his treatment at the hands of the officers, I gave him my name and contact details and (assured him) I will support his complaint.
Would this kind of so-called policing be considered acceptable or in any way appropriate if applied to a White male of fifteen in Richmond, Putney, Knightsbridge or Hampstead? If the answer is No! Then why is it deemed by the powers that be acceptable to Police Black male teenagers in specific parts of London e.g. Brixton, Croydon etc. in this way?
